Lyndon B Johnson 1963 1968 The Kennedy Assassination

Lyndon B. Johnson 1963 - 1968

The Kennedy Assassination l. Dallas, Texas l. Many theories as to why he was killed l. Hard to prove Oswald killed before going to trial by Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby l. November 22, 1963 – JFK assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald

v Warren Commission – led by Chief Justice Earl Warren v. Investigated killing – conclusion Oswald acted alone v. Later investigation shows possible conspiracy v. Kennedy’s death stunned and saddened Americans The Kennedy Assassination

Lyndon Baines Johnson (D-TX) �Addressed Congress 5 days after JFK assassination �Confidently swore to continue JFK’s programs �His confidence & firmness helped reassure nation & ease shock of sudden change of leaders �An early victory passage of Civil

Top Priority - The War on Poverty �Economic Opportunity Act (1964) �Created Office of Economic Opportunity to direct anti-poverty campaign �Job Corps - trained young people in marketable skills �VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) �a domestic Peace Corps �Project Head Start educational aid to

The Great Society �Johnson’s collection of domestic programs �Targeted health, education, conservation, the environment, and racial equality �Very successful in gaining passage of programs �Huge Proliferation of Govt. Programs �All manner of programs to deal with numerous social ills �Conservatives called it encroachment on basic American freedoms

1964 Election �Johnson & V. P. Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) �Repubs. nominate Barry Goldwater (AZ) �Goldwater campaign offered “a choice, not an echo. ” �“In your heart, you know he’s right” - slogan �Called for aggressive anti-Comm.

�Johnson emphasized restrained & flexible foreign policy �to prevent nuclear war �Said prosperity in U. S. founded on federal programs in effect �pledged to continue course set by JFK �Johnson won by landslide � 486 - 52 (all but six 1964 Election

Liberalism Victorious �Liberal president in White House �Democratic dominated Congress �Johnson flooded Congress with Great Society programs (63 in 1965 alone) incl. : �Dept. of Housing & Urban Develop. (1965) �public housing, urban renewal �Medical Care Act (1965) �creates Medicare - insurance for elderly �Expensive programs would face competition with rising cost of